


Into The New World

by NerdyGhostClub



Category: Ghost Hunt, Shin Sekai Yori | From the New World
Genre: Drama, Gen, Paranormal, Post-Series, Psychic Abilities
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-02
Updated: 2017-05-16
Packaged: 2018-10-27 02:54:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10800213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NerdyGhostClub/pseuds/NerdyGhostClub
Summary: When a small experiment provides big results, the existence of PK is acknowledged throughout the world, but science and society don't have the same standards for acceptance. Psychic powers are now being zoomed in upon and scrutinized and this has dangerous results for those who possess them.Ghost Hunt characters and setting, au based on Shinsekai Yori's History of the World.





	1. Prologue

As big of an event as this was for its attendees, the hall was rather stark. The crowd size greatly underrepresented how important this night would turn out to be. What may have seemed like a small pebble dropped in a lake would be sending out ripples for decades to come. It was something similar to the case of the boy who cried wolf. While the scientist behind this experiment himself was mostly unheard of so far, his claims were nothing new, and had always turned out unfounded in the past. This being the case, most of those who attended were already involved in the research of parapsychology. 

The affair was being held at a hotel in Saint Petersburg, Russia. For convenience, many of the conference’s guests chose to stay there as well, including renowned author and psychic, Dr. Oliver Davis.

Never a big fan of crowds, it was surprising how many parties Oliver had managed to entertain in the past. Before the presentation, his father had decided they should come down and socialise. It was only a small gathering, but the group was still enough to overwhelm. Luckily, these people weren't here for the great Dr. Davis, so he was able to slip out rather easily once Martin’s back was turned. He found himself wandering the halls of the building, familiarising himself with the location of the rest of the hotel’s amenities. Eventually he started making his way back upstairs, thinking up an excuse to give when he finally reunited with his father. He didn’t get very far however, before running into a young woman leaning over the rail and looking down towards the lobby.

Hearing footsteps stop behind her, the woman turned around, mumbling in a language Oliver was unfamiliar with. She was young, about his age, with brown skin and dark hair pulled back in a tight ponytail. She was wearing a cream dress under a black blazer, her hands in the pockets. She looked up at him, displeased. However, it seemed she was expecting someone else, as her expression changed to shock, then embarrassment. She took a moment to look over the individual in front of her before shifting so there was more space between them, then she spoke. 

“I’m sorry, I thought you were here to drag me back to the conference downstairs,” she confessed, through a strong accent.

So she was another guest. He forced himself to give her a polite smile.

“Honestly, I’m avoiding it as well.”

“Oh, not a fan of the chit chat?”

“I’m here for the science.”

The girl cocked her head. 

“Are you here to discredit me?”

This threw him off balance.

“Are you part of Dr. Ismailov’s team?”

At that, she smiled shortly.

“I’m his successful subject, my name’s Nona Mardonova.”

She reached out her hand to shake, but Oliver didn’t even notice, distracted by her reveal. He continued.

“I’m not necessarily here to discredit you. Actually, it seems your supervisor took inspiration from my methods for his experiment. I’m impressed by the results, as long as they’re accurate.” 

Nona still hadn't retracted her hand, though her discomfort now was obvious, so he conceded and begrudgingly shook it.

“Oliver Davis.”

Her face lit up.

“Oh! Dr. Ismailov spoke of your work a lot, although I did not imagine you would be so young.” 

“The doctorate’s only honorary.”

“I see...”

Nona voice trailed off.

“You know, I never really believed in any of this stuff before, I guess that's why he chose me, right? But now..."

"Now you're bound to become a symbol, an icon, a figure of the community."

"Community, huh? A group I'd been calling liars and crazy my whole life, including you."

Oliver’s eyes softened and he put on a small smile before admitting, "I may be a bit crazy," which garnered a chuckle from Nona. It was a short moment though, and soon she was back to staring blank-faced over the rail. After about a minute, she broke the silence once again with her own confession.

"Honestly, I'm a little bit scared. I have this ability that... for all this time I just- never knew about. I wasn't even trying at first. What more is there I don't know about myself? I'm not doubting anymore, I'm just... afraid."

 

When she turned back around, Oliver’s face had gone cold again.

"I worry that might be the general public's reaction as well."

"What am I supposed to do when I can't even trust myself anymore?"

"All you did was move a ball in a tube, right? You're not scary. It's me they should be afraid of."

She frowned.

“The fifty kilogram aluminum block was you, right? I never saw the experiment footage. Is the story real?”

Seeming to ignore her, he stepped forward to lean over the rail himself. The lobby was still bustling, but more people were moving into the conference room off to the side and taking their seats. It was almost time for the two of them to make their own way back downstairs. He took a deep breath as his fingertips found the edge of the rail and began tapping. 1, 2, 3-

“Dr. Davis?”

Stop.

“The story’s true, but that was years ago. It’s not likely to happen again anytime soon.”

Breathe in.

“Do you scare yourself, too?”

Breathe out.

“We should get going. It’s about time.”


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shibuya Psychic Research hears the news

Mai was running late for work again, as always. It wasn't her fault, really, usually. Naru told her to start exactly on the hour, and unless she left school early, the trains just wouldn't allow for that.  _ Imagine I did that though _ , she thought,  _ skipped class and walked into the office on time for once _ . Her boss wouldn't let her live it down. "Do you want to be stupid?" he'd ask, or he’d make some other rude comment. Now, if she were honest with herself, she knew she had little right to complain, as it wasn't like he paid her any less for her tardiness. He was a good boss, and she was well-compensated for her work, (not that she'd ever admit to this aloud, especially not in front of the great narcissist himself. )  All she actually had to suffer through was teasing from the other people who flowed in and out of the office during the day, the riffraff with too much free time. She almost wanted to yell at them, insisting that SPR was not a coffee shop in the very same way Naru used to remind them. Just as she was thinking about telling everyone "this is a place of business, we do serious research here, please go socialize elsewhere," she opened the office door to find none other than her two favorite coworkers, arm-wrestling on the coffee table. Ah, yes, serious research again.

* * *

 

"So, children, what were we fighting about, exactly?"

Mai was, of course, referring to the arm-wrestling match which had turned into a full-on brawl just moments after she had stepped inside the office. She almost thought she had let the door slam closed, but no, the crash she heard was just Taka pushing the table aside and knocking Yasuhara to the floor. The guilty parties exchanged an embarrassed glance before Taka turned back towards Mai to explain.

"It was a battle for Norio's heart." 

"It's like she takes my flirting seriously."

"It started off as a joke, but then he cheated."

"I didn't cheat."

"You moved your arm off the table."

_ Oi, what would Monk think if he were here? He... might find it hilarious, actually.  _

"Now Taka, what happened to respecting your elders?"

"It was a respectful duel, Mai."

"You flipped the table on me!"

"You cheated!"

If she left these two alone they could bicker about this all day, or worse, start another fight. Mai quickly realised she actually quite liked the furniture they currently had in the office, and she didn't want to see any of it broken. She had to be careful.

"Soooo, Yuuko~, what are you doing in the office anyway? I thought you had exams to prepare for." 

_ A skillful change of topic, was that not? _

"Oh, why Mai? Are you not happy to see me?"

"Well, of course I am, I have been nothing but blessed by this visit from my superior Takahashi."

The so-esteemed miss Takahashi chose that moment to let out a crude farting noise as a reminder that she was, truly, the best, earning praise from her two fellow part-timers.

"Alright, so, yeah, but Chiaki texted me this morning and asked me to come in, and, the knight in shining armor that I am, I could never refuse a damsel in distress."

Yasuhara let out a chuckle.

"Should we battle for Kasai's heart too now?"

"You wouldn't even stand a chance. Don't test me, you dirty old man."

Yasuhara raised his arms in surrender. They had reached a peace.

“So what did she want you to come in for, and where is she, by the way?”

Taka pushed a small strand of hair behind her ear and leaned back on the office sofa.

“Ah, that, I’m not actually sure. I only got here a short while ago. Is she in with Lin?”

She pointed that question at Yasuhara.

“She was this morning, so unless she decided to abandon you while I went out for lunch I’d assume she still is.”

“Chiaki would never abandon me.”

“Then she must still be with Lin.”

“How do we know for sure? Do we knock? Has anyone here ever knocked on Lin’s door?”

Mai shivered. 

“Never.”

“That would be a no here as well.”

“He can’t be that scary. Go on Mai, knock.”

“Ehh? Why me?”

“You’ve been here longest. If there’s any one of us he tolerates, it would be you.”

“She’s right, Taniyama.”

“You- you too, Yasuhara?”

“It’s best you just get it over with, go, knock. Do it quickly. Do it now.”

His glasses glinted.

“We can just wait.”

“No, we can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Respect your elders, Taniyama.” 

Mai hung her head in defeat. Those two, straight from fighting each other to ganging up on her, how in the world did they do it? Just as she was beginning to accept her terrible fate at the hands of her seniors, the door to Lin’s office opened, and out walked the boss. She jumped up. She was saved.

“Good afternoon, Naru.”

He paid little attention to her greeting, as he was focused on a book in his hands. Without removing his eyes from the page, he began to say her name, but she interrupted.

“Tea, right? Not a problem, but first, just wondering, is Chiaki in there?”

At this he did look up, blink, and sigh before leaning his head back through the door.

“Kasai, my employees seek an audience with you.”

Mai smiled.

“Tea.”

“Yes, boss!”

As he retired back into his own office and Kasai shuffled out of Lin’s, Mai moved to the kitchenette to leaf through their variety of teas. She made a selection for Naru and set some water to boil before seating herself next to Taka on the sofa. Kasai was in the middle of speaking.

“-that they’d finally have to accept it. That’s… I don’t know.” 

“I mean, that’s a pretty big step.”

“Yeah, but, I bent a key in front of the entire school and it didn’t accomplish anything.”

Mai nudged the girl beside her.

“Hey, what did I miss?”

Taka blinked at her and turned to face Kasai again.

“Well, Chiaki heard something about PK on the news this morning, right?”

“They demonstrated it, in a lab setting.”

There was a sparkle in her eye as she looked at Mai.

“Have they not done that before?”

“No, not like this. I mean, I asked boss about it. He said they’ve never taken sufficient enough care to isolate the subjects before. Up until now the experiments have been unrepeatable, with no proof of a lack of outside influence being the real cause of any PK phenomena. This doctor took extra care though, to make the results universally acceptable, rather than only interesting to those who already believe. The video’s supposed to have been publically released as well, though I haven’t seen it yet.” 

“Ooh, so it’s a big deal then. Naru knew about it already?”

“He said there was a conference last month that he attended where they discussed the early results.”

“Why wouldn’t he mention something that big?”

“It’s because he’s Naru,” Yasuhara chimed in with a smile.

_ Ah, of course he wouldn’t mention it. Naru is Naru, after all. _

Kasai continued to share her excitement, whilst reflecting back on the events of her senior year of high school. The three of them listened intently. It had been a while since they’d all met, during the case at her and Taka’s school, though Yasuhara didn’t join the group until a bit later, replacing Taka at the office while Naru was in England and Madoka was running the place. It was rare for the four of them to be together, but nice. The irregulars who filled up the office sometimes were great, they were like family, but only Masako was Mai’s age. She had a special bond with those involved with SPR that she couldn’t share with her school friends, and while Kasai may not be an employee, Naru had been the one to invite her to take free lessons under Lin. It must have meant a lot to her after all that happened with Ubusuna. In the past year, she had opened up a lot, and she was back to smiling often. It warmed Mai’s heart to see.

After some time, the conversation veered off onto other topics, with Mai and Yasuhara leaving the sitting area to return to doing their actual jobs. The water had boiled, and after the tea was done brewing, she knocked on Naru’s office door. Once invited in she saw he had been staring out the window. She almost asked if something was on his mind, but decided against it, realizing he was unlikely to share with her even if there was. She left the cup and saucer on the corner of his desk, and was pleasantly surprised to hear a “Thank you,” on her way out. 

She sat down at her own desk after handing out drinks to her friends, stretching her arms and legs out. Yasuhara said he would finish going over the final report for their latest case before he left for home; it had been a simple case, without any spirits, so Mai took out her homework to start on. She might as well get something done, even if she was tempted to hop back into the conversation between Taka and Kasai. For some reason though, she found it hard to focus. Something she couldn’t identify felt off. She tried to just brush it off, but she couldn’t. She was barely through her English by the time someone made their way into the office.

“Hey, did you all hear the news?”

It was Takigawa. It turned out he was talking about the same thing Kasai had been, and he was insistent on dragging Lin and Naru out of their offices to discuss it. 

_ No less should be expected from Oliver Davis’ number one fan. _

Mai chuckled to herself, but something still felt off, and she caught herself staring into space while preparing Monk’s regular iced coffee. She moved to listening in on the conversation taking place next door. Monk seemed thrilled, even Lin had a lot to say, but Naru was uncharacteristically silent. Normally his quietness would be in character, but he always had something to say when they were discussing the actual science of parapsychology. It was just the four of them in the office now. Kasai and Taka had departed before Monk’s arrival to grab dinner, and Yasuhara had left shortly after them. Mai felt out of place. She had learned a lot in the almost two years of working with SPR, but she was still the least knowledgeable in this group. Apparently John was on his way to join the conversation. She would just have to sit quietly doing her homework, and try to avoid saying anything silly that Naru could call her out on. It was too much work, avoiding letting herself be embarrassed by him.

She brought out a tray with Monk’s iced coffee and more tea for Naru and Lin. They might have said something to her, but she was too distracted by the continuing sinking feeling in her gut. Something  _ was _ off, and it was bigger than she could even imagine.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starting out rather lighthearted but don't doubt my ability to take things downhill really fast.


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Society adjusts to the news

The news item that Takigawa and Kasai had latched onto was just one of many to come. As the initial report was translated from Azerbaijani into not just English, but several European and Asian languages, more scientists from around the world were taking interest in the outcome and what directions it might be taking modern science in. Mai could hear her fellow students whispering about it before class. It seemed everyone was fascinated with the topic. Some found the claims ridiculous, others professed that they’d known all along, including one girl who Mai had gotten to know in a rather personal way some time almost two years ago. She was also a topic of the gossip.

“Hey hey, is that stuff about psychic powers true?” 

“-does that mean Kuroda’s for real?”

“-but I always found her weird.”

“I mean that experiment was about moving things with your mind, not ghosts, right? So-”

“Is there a difference?”

“-I don’t know, it’s all pretty weird-”

_ They should be embarrassed, _ she thought, for talking about another student behind her back, for not even knowing what they’re talking about.  _ There’s a pretty big difference between ESP and PK, first off, but Naru did say he thought Kuroda had latent psychokinetic abilities as well.   _

At least they weren’t in the same class as her _. Would Kuroda be upset though, or would she just tell them off? _ Mai thought she had grown timider and less defensive, but she didn’t know her that well. She could still be perfectly capable of protecting herself. Despite that, Mai found herself ready to speak up. She was only prevented from doing so by her teacher walking through the door and beginning the day’s lesson.

The lesson did not get very far, however. It seemed no one paid any attention during class; they were all distracted. Even the teachers seemed to be unfocused. It was unusual, but to be expected. Their world was being turned upside down. Something previously considered only fantasy was becoming reality. For Mai, it wasn’t that big of a deal; the paranormal was her normal, so as everyone ignored her teacher’s words and continued whispering amongst themselves, she just looked out the window until school let out.

* * *

There were still some strong-willed skeptics who held onto their disbelief, but by this point, most of the world was accepting PK as something real. People, mostly children, were coming out and sharing their abilities in a repeat of the Gellerini phenomena, only many times larger. There were fewer deniers, and social media was there to amplify everything. Spoon-benders were becoming viral sensations, with some of the more popular videos surpassing even the original spark, Nona Mardanova’s demonstration, in views. Psychics were becoming celebrities, and rumors were flying about England’s Oliver Davis, a psychic supposedly stronger than any others who had so far displayed their abilities to the public. The aluminum block experiment’s footage was leaked at some point, and his young age and handsome face only furthered his popularity, something that the boy himself was not a fan of. He did not wish to become a spectacle, only to pursue his research quietly, and this sabotaged that one goal. His parents had reason to worry, too, and Lin was put on high alert, even if his main function as a bodyguard up until now had been protecting Naru from himself.

Naoko Kuroda had never bothered to experiment with PK before, simply accepting that it was a latent ability she had no interest in, until now. Now, she showed off for her classmates, moving small objects with the power of her mind, basking in the attention. She wasn’t the most skilled, but the audience wasn’t full of critics, just wide eyes captivated by whatever was thrown at them. Chiaki Kasai followed the phenomena online, but didn’t participate herself. She’d had enough focus on her abilities for a lifetime. It was almost a shame, as her lessons with Lin over the many months since had truly helped her harness her strength, and she was capable of so much more these days. She could have gained quite a following herself.

The focus was on telekinesis, but the masses were also interested in ESP, expecting it to be the next mystery proven real. It had apparently had a part in the experiment design, even if nothing as conclusive could be drawn from it. During this time, Masako Hara’s show had a major increase in views. Her aunt and manager was thoroughly excited, congratulating Masako on her own thriving fame, encouraging her to accept more invitations. News networks, foreign psychic research programs, and talk shows were all reaching out to her, begging for her presence during filming. It was all a bit overwhelming, but she went along with it. Even Shibuya Psychic Research was getting more visits, though they were all pretty much misdirected, with teenagers coming in to ask about PK demonstrations, or if they could determine if one was legitimate or faked. Mai or Yasuhara would politely explain that was not what they were there for, while the boss would loudly exhale, exhausted. 

* * *

One night, Oliver received a phone call from England while at the hotel.

“Hello.”

“Hello, Oliver.”

“Martin, good afternoon.”

“You should give your mother a call sometime, she misses you.”

Martin Davis had not called his son to simply lecture him on keeping in better touch with his parents, but it was hard to avoid throwing a little reminder in. The Society of Psychical Research had not yet found the source of the leak of the footage of Oliver’s famous demonstration, and he had wanted to apologize. Maybe he also wanted to check up on his son a little; he could admit that. They had enough to discuss: the apartments Oliver was supposed to be looking into, more developments surrounding Dr. Ismailov’s study, how Shibuya Psychic Research was faring, that Martin didn’t have to worry about running out of reasons to talk to him. He had returned home for only two months, after almost two years, and now he was back in Japan again. It was for the best, it was where he was happy, or at least content. It was all they wanted for him, so they couldn’t be selfish and wish him home, no matter how much they missed him, no matter how empty the house felt with two abandoned bedrooms. They had to accept it, and so, Martin treasured this time, discussing business and science, hearing a voice so many miles away from him.

“I will, you don’t have to worry. How are things with the Society?”

Professional conversations were better than silence, and it would be silly to expect personal correspondence with Oliver.

“We haven’t found the leak yet, but a lot of white crows have been perching themselves on our wires lately.”

“It seems the pool of good subjects has been expanding wide ever since the news of Miss Mardanova’s success was spread. It's rather interesting. Are they just growing more confident so they’re able to speak up? Have they only tested out their own abilities now? What is causing this boom?”

“We can’t know, but Sir Dorey has certainly gotten a kick out of it.”

Oliver smiled despite himself, phone balancing between his shoulder and ear as he held a teacup in one hand and reached for his pen with the other.

“He would enjoy that, wouldn’t he? I hope everyone is being responsible and focusing on the science rather than the show.”

“You really don’t trust them to follow your example without you here to enforce it, do you? Maybe you should come home.”

“Maybe, if you’re telling me my distrust is valid.”

“They’re doing alright, you don’t need to come back. You should stay focused on making your official move out of the hotel.”

“I was just writing down some notes about that. Don’t worry, I’m not planning on letting Mr. Pratt keep paying the exorbitant fees here.”

“Is that so?”

They kept speaking for the hour, and Martin was thankful.

* * *

“Would you care for some tea, Ms. Kitahara?”

“Oh, no thank you, I’m quite fine,” she assured, a large smile plastered over her face. 

Mai placed the cup she had preemptively removed back into the cabinet and walked over to the couch.

“Let’s start then. What are you here about today?”

“I’m here about my daughter. She’s been really caught up in the psychic scene that’s so popular these days, and she spends so much time in her room trying to move toys and such around. It’s getting tiring.”

“Are things being thrown around too much?”

“Oh, no, she hasn't succeeded. Her father and I were just wishing she’d get over it.”

“I’m sorry, but what was the matter you wanted us to investigate?”

Ms. Kitahara took this moment to lean over the coffee table and press her hands together, a pleading look on her face.

“I was hoping you could confirm that she doesn’t have any psychic abilities.”

“We research psychic phenomena thought to be caused by ghosts or spirits, not people. That doesn’t fall under our services offered, not that I’d even know how we could prove a negative.”

“Well, you could just tell her you did, right? She won't listen to us, but I’m sure she’d take ‘Shibuya Psychic Research’ seriously.”

“I’m sorry ma’am, but we can’t.”

“Can I speak to your manager?”

“I don’t think that’s-”

“I want to speak to them.”

“Y-yes, ma’am!”

_ Really, what is this woman thinking? She is certainly in for a rude awakening when Naru hears her idea. Yes, tell her off in my place. Show her that infamous cold attitude of yours. _

Mai knocked on the office door and informed Oliver he was wanted, so he shuffled on out, book not leaving his hand. Ms. Kitahara gave them the usual “-so young, are you really the manager of this place?” before a look of recognition settled in, followed by one more quizzical. 

She spoke again, “You’re one of those psychics, right? One of the big name kids all popular on those video sites?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, and if I did it would be none of your concern. What were you here today to discuss?”

“No, you are. I recognize your face. My daughter’s an avid fan. You’re Oliver Davis, right?”

Mai recoiled, but her boss managed to remain calmer.

“My name is Kazuya Shibuya, that’s what you should address me as. If you don’t want to talk about the business that brought you here then you can leave.”

“Your employee says you’re uninterested in psychics, but you are one. Please, just tell my daughter-”

“My employee is right. We don’t do research on human subjects. No one here will be telling your daughter anything.”

“Your business is a fraud.”

“You’re welcome to think that if you want, but I’d invite you to think it outside our office doors.”

She scrambled for her purse, whispering swears and angry words as she did, in fact, leave the office.

“Ah, well that’s a relief.”

“Mai, don’t call me out here for people like that.”

“Eh, but she wouldn’t listen to me. I had to!”

With a sigh, Oliver returned to the privacy of his office.

It wasn’t the first time someone had recognized him, so Mai didn’t say anything this time, but she was concerned. She still recalled what Lin had said last summer in the cabins, about how his face being out there could be dangerous with Gene’s killer still loose. She clutched a part of her shirt and glanced back at his office door.

_ Be safe. _

* * *

 

In the capital city of Baku of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Nona Mardanova tried to get some rest. She hadn’t been given any opportunity recently, pulled in front of every camera, asked to repeat her actions from the experiment, lift another plastic ball, do something new. All eyes were on her. Oliver Davis had been right; she was the catalyst, and she was an icon now. Her English was decent enough to get her through most interviews, even if previously she didn’t believe she had the strength or patience. She was a sort of national hero, helping lead their country as it made such a scientific breakthrough before any other. More than she was anything, though, she was tired. Since the conference in Russia, she’d been in the spotlight, and ever more so with each passing day. She’d been touring Europe up until yesterday when they’d finally returned to the Republic. She was only a nineteen-year-old girl, and she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders now. It felt like everything was her responsibility, but nothing was truly in her control. In fact, things were just beginning to spin out from anyone’s reach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I recently remembered that I can't write. Oops.

**Author's Note:**

> This is something I've been planning for a while. I hope it doesn't disappoint.


End file.
